Measuring instrument.



No. 867,561. PATENTED 001". 1,-1907.

' A. G. DAVIS & 0. n. HASKINS.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION rum) MAR.16,'1904.

5 sums-sum: 1.

Fig.1

v Inventors: Witnesses: filbert GlDavis. Caryl DHaskins.

PATENTBD OCT. 1, 1907.

A G DAVIS& 0 n HASKINS MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

APiPLIOATION FILED MAB. 16,1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventors: IFHbertGDavis; Caryl D. Heskinsf Witnesses:

. A. G.'DAVIS & c. D. HASKIN'S.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION EI LED MAB. 16 1904.

' Inveht ors:

fTlbert G. Davis.

Caryl IlHaskins Witnesses PATENTED OCT. 1, 1907.

5 sums-SHEET a.

PATENTED OCT. 1, 1907.

A. G. DAVIS 88.0. D. HASKINS.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

' -APPLIOATION'IILED MAR. 15. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4,.-

Witne's'se's: a): El, 'Ihventots: K J4 JHbert G. Davis. 4 Caryl D.Haskins.

No. 867,561. PATENTQED 001'. 1.1907.

A. G. DAVIS & G. D. HASKINS. MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Fig. I2

lllll Irfivntons:

Caryl D. Haskins.

DHbert G.Davis.

ALBERT G. DAVIS AND CAR YL D. l-IASKINS, OF SQHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATIQQI OF NEW YORK.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Atnnn'r G. Dlivrs and OARYL D. HAsKiNs, citizens of the United States, residing at Schenectady, 'county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useiul Improvements in Measuring Instruments, of which the following'is a specification. I

The object of our present invention is to im'prove measuring instruments.

Though many of the features of our invention are not limited to any particular class of measuring instruments our invention relates more particularly to the so-called electric motor meters, in all of which there is a certain amount of retardation, to the motion of the movable part or parts oi the meters, (lue to iriction between movable and stationary parts.

In accomplishing the object of our invention we employ means energized from a source which is independent of the torque of the measuring element of the instrument, to carry practically all oi the frictional or idle load heretofore necessarily imposed upon the measuring element in instruments 01' this character.

In practice we have found a satisfactory method of carrying out our invention to consist in employing t working member, in the form of an electric motor, having a vertical shaft from which the movable element olour measurii'ig instrument is suspended by a fiber or wire which allows-a limited movement of the movable part oi the measuring element under the influence of the -force to be measured, without a corresponding movement of the working element. Alter a certain amount of such independent relative movement has taken place the measuring element, by closing a controlling circuit or in any other suitable way, giv a impulse to the working motor which causes it to move in the same direction as the measuring element. The

movement of the working element under these circumstances is sutlicient to insure that a certain limited amount of lag of the working elementbehind the measuring element shall never be exceeded.

In some forms of our invention the movable part of the measuring clement moves rclntively to the lixed part with aspecd depending on the value of the quantity to be measured which may or may not vary. Relatively to the movable part oi the measuring ele-- mentthe movable part ol' the working element first lags, until-by reason of such .lag the working element is energized, whereupon the moving part oi the we: king element inovcsin advancwol the measuring element. When the working element moves in advance of the n'ieasuring clement it becomes deenergized and slows down, the movable part of the measuring element then gains upon it and the working element is again-energi neil. The intermittent energization and denergi- Specificationof Letters Patent. Application filed March 16,1901. Serial No, 198,219.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907. I.

zation of the working element is continued as long as the measuring element continues to move. It will be readily understood that the total movement of the working element will be equal to, the total movement I of the measuring element though the speed of the two elements at any given instant will usually bedifterent.

As the weight of the moving element of the measuring element is siistained by the working element through a wire or fiber connection, which'ex erts practically no frictional retardation to the movement of the measuring member relative to the working member, it will be seen that the frictional retardation due to the weight of the movable element normally to be ac-' counted for in instruments of this character is transierred to the working element. Moreover as the working element moves proportionately to the measuring element we may employit to drive a counting train or similar indicating mechanism.

In cases in which the measuring element is a commutating motor, the commutator brushes mayif desired be transferred to the worki'ng member, thus still l'urther reducing the hictional forces tending to resist the movement'oi the measuring element. i

For a better understanding of our invention refer-.

enee may be had to the accompanying drawings in which we have illustrated several of the many forms in which our invention can be embodied.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation oi an electric measuring instrument embodying our invention with the casing removed; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation 01' the instrument shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan, taken online 3 3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation illustrating a detail of construction; Fig; 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of circuits [or the instrument shown in Figs. l. and 2, Fig. (i is a diagrammatic view showing a modified form of our invention; Fig. 7 is a plan view, and Fig; 8 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 8 S of Fig. 7, illustrating one teature oi the modification shown in Fig. (i; Fig. 9 is a plan view, and Fig. 10 is a.v sectional elevation, taken on a line 10 10 of Fig. 9, illustrating another feature of the modification shown in Fig. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section showing another modification of our invontion; Fig. 12 is a plan view and Fig. 13 an elevation showing a modified .iornioi a portion of the con- 10' struction employed in l lig. 1; Fig. l-l is a large perspective view showing a detail employed in thectinsti'uction shoxn in Fig. l; and Fig 15 is an elevation. and Fig. in is a plan view, showing still anothefn odi lication whichniay.'l)e employed ii the construction 10 shown in Fig. l. i v

Referring particularly to the (:onstruction shown in Figs. to 5, inclusive, an iilcctric meter oLthe well as the measuring element of the known Thomson recording watt meter type is shown instrument. The meter which is supported in frame work 1 carried on the base 2 comprises main field coils 3, an auxiliary starting coil 4 adjustably clamped to the field coils 3 by a thumb screw 5, a vertical shaft (f'which carries an armature 7 turning in the magnetic field produced by the coils 3 and 4, and a brake disk 8 turning between the poles of one or more fixed brake magnets 9. A commutator 10 for the armature 7 is located above it on the shaft 6 which is reduced in diameter to receive it. Brushes ll cooperating with the commutator are secured to the frame work in the ordinary manner. The shaft 6 is preferably formed in two sections conncted together by a coupler member 12, as shown in Fig. 4. The coupler member 12 is provided with pair of threaded ends separated by a cylindrical collar. The threaded ends screw into threaded openings formed for the purpose in the adjacent ends of the two sections'of shaft 6. The upper section of the shaft (3 and preferably the lower section of the shaft also are made tubular. A filament or wire 13 has its lower end detachably secured to a block 14 which fits in a socket formed for the purpose in the lower end of the coupler member'12. The upper end of the filament or wire 13 is secured to the lower end of a shaft 15 in line with its axis by m ans of a clamping screw 16. The lower end of the shaft 6 is smaller in diameter than the body of the shaft. This result may be obtained by reducing the end of the shaft or, referably, as shown, by axially inserting a hardened steel pin 17 in the lower end of the lower section of shaft 6. The pin 17 or the reduced portion of the shaft passes through an annular hearing, which may be formed out of diamond, sapphire, or the like, and is carried by a support 18 detachably secured to the base 2. The upper end of the upper section 01' the shaft 6 may have its bore reduced to a diameter.

substantially equal to the diameter of the wire in order that the upper end of the shaft may be positioned by its engagement with the wire 13, but preferably the coupling member 12 is located somewhat above the. center of gravity of the shaft 6 and parts carried by it so that in the ordinary operation of the instrui'nent the upper end of the shaft will not engage the filament or wire 13. The shaft 15' from which the shaft (3 is supported is the armature shaft of an electric motor 19 which constitutes the working element of the in-- striiment. The motor 19 is carried by a cross bar 20 secured to the side members of the frame 1. The field of the motor 1!) comprises a pair of pole pieces 21 energized by suitable magnetizing coils 22. The armature 23 of the motor l9, which is shown as of the Gramme ring type, is mounted in a casing 24 formed of some good condm-ting material, such as copper. The purpose of this conducting casing will be hereinafter explained. The shaft 15 carries a suitable commutato r 25. Brushes 26 engage the connnutator to supply currentto the armature 23 of 'the motor 19. The shaft 15 may be supported in any suitable step hearing. In the construction shown in- Fig. 2 'the shaft carries a disk 27 which rests against balls 28 mounted in a race way formed for the purpose in a block 29 mounted in the yoke connecting thepole pieces 21. The upper end of the shaft 15 carries-a Worm 15 which drives a-counting train 15". A pair J l l 1 of diametrically opposed arms 31, see Fig. l t, carried by a collar 32 adjustably secured to the lower end of the shaft 15. The arms Ill carry at their outer ends a pair of downwardly extending flexible contact members 325. A similar pair of flexible contact membcrs 34 extend upwardly from arms 35 which Illtljt it in opposite directions from a collar Iltl. mounted on and insulated from the upper end of the shall (i. A flcxiblc brush 32 bears against the collar 32 above the arms 1H and a similar brush iltl bcars against the collar ilt; below the arms 35. The flexible contact members 33 and 2-34 are made of conducting material; preferably howcvcr one side of each of thc contacts carries a layer of insulating material, as shown in Fig. 1-1, so that a sufficient. movement in one direction of one set of com facts with ri-spect to the other will cause the conduct ing sides of the flexible contact. mcmbcrs to engage, while upon a relative movement in the opposite direction of suflicicntextent the non-comlucting sides will engage.

The various circuits of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are shown in Fig 5 in which lines 237 and do convey the electric energy which is to be incasured. The coils 3 are shown as connected in series in the line 38. A conductor 39 connects the line 35 to one brush of the meter armature 7. The other brush of the meter armature is connected to the line 37 through the starting coil 4 and a suitable resistance 10. A conductor 1| leads from the line 37 in series through the coils 22 to one of the brushes of the motor 1!). The other brush of the motor 1.) is conncctcd by a conductor 42 to the brush 32 which bears against the collar as. condoctor 43, which includes a regulating resistance fl; is connected to the brush Ilfi bearing-against the collar Chi.

Assuming the initial position of the nictcl to be that in which the contacts 32, and .M are separated as indi catcd in Figs. 5 and iii, upon thiw passage of cull'cnt through the coils 2% and 4 and through the coils of the armature 7, the armature 7 will begin to rotutc. The only frictional forces retarding the movcmcnt of the armature are those produced by the engagement of the brushes ll with the connnutator l0 and the brush so with the collar Zlti. together with the very insignificant friction between the pin l7 and the annular bearing member 18. These forces are very small. hen the armature 7 turns far bnough, the contact .mcmbcrs .23 and 34 will engage. This will cause current to tlow through the windings of the scrics motor li the armature of which will immediately start t revolve. The motor l9 is so wound that the speed gin-n to the hnt'l 15 is considerably greater than the spccd ol' the shaft. 6 under the normal load on the meter. As a result. as soon as the motor 1.) is cnergiycd by the engagement. bctwccn thc'cont'acts 33 and 2H, its armature will move so as to separate these contacts, thus breaking the cir cuit. through the motor It). The conducting casing 2-1 cooperates with the pole pieces 2| to form a brake for limiting the speed of armature 23 and for innncdiatcly slowing it down when the motor is dcf m-rgizcd. After the separation of the contacts Slil and 23 i, if the load on the meter continues. the contacts ."it will again approach the contacts 33 and after a slight interval will again engngc contacts 33 to energize the motor If). This operation, including the intermittent encrgizatiou of the motor l!), is contimn-d'as long as the load remains twisting of the filamlr ht will produce no effect on the i this construction therefore, as with the one previously I shaft 15. A-suitable step bearing for supporting the shaft 15" is carried by the member 45. The shaft 6 of.

-O sage of current'through line 55, coil 16, commutator I scum 4 B uponthe meter. It will, of course, be understood that the motion ofthe armature shaft is intermittent only i with respect to the motion of the shaft 15,, and that the shaft 6 will. rotate uniformly with respect to the frame work so long as the load on the meter does not change. If the wire or filament 1.3 is made of torsionlcss fiber the constant of the meter. If however it is made out of some material such as piano wire, its rcsiliency may be relied upon to give the necessary starting torque to the armature 7, thus doing away with the necessity foran auxiliary-coil 4. It has been found that to establish a working circuit through the motor 19'the contacts 33and 34 must be pressed together with a certain amount of force. The torsion of the wire or filament 13 may be adjusted to supply this force as well as to supply the starting torque.

the construction shown in Figs. 6 to10 inclusive, a modified form of the working element is employed. In this form a ring of laminated magnetic material 45 slotted internally to receive a number of coils 46 which may be form wound, is carried by a bent bar or member 45 supported from the frame 1. The armature cooperating with the field member 45 consists of a bar 4] of magnetic material mounted upon the the measuring element, which may be similar to the measuring clement hereinbciore described, carries. near its lower end a-collar 48 of conducting material. A brush 49 carried at the upper end of a post 50 which ektends upwardly from the base 2 bears against the, collar 48. A resilient brush 51 secured to the collar 48. bears again st the upper end of a number of commutator segments 52 which, are held in an annular clamp 53. The clamp 53 is supported by posts 54 extending upwardly from the base 2. The shaft l5 upon which the armature 47 is mounted is connected to the shaft 6 thrmigh a filament or wire 13 as the shafts l5 and 6 are connected in the construction heretofore described.

Referring to the modified form of our invention shown in diagram in Fig. 6, it is seen that the measuring elementis connected to the lines 37 and 38 just as in th e'diagram shown in Fig.5. One terminal of each of thc coils 46 is connected to the line 37 through the line The other terminals of successive coils46 are connected to successive commutator segments 52. In Fig. (two have shown these terminals grouped together to form a pair of cables 56. A conductor'57 which may include a suitable regulating resistance 58 connects the brush 49 to the line 38. The coils 46, which in the'lorm of our invention shown in Fig. 7 are arranged in three setaoveilappiiig one another, are adapted when successively energized to produce a shifting" or rotating magnetic field which willattract the adjlaceht end of the armature 47 and cause it to 'turn with the velocity of the rotating field. Upon the passage 01' current between lines 37 .38 the armature 7 will begin to rotate and, as the brush 5]. passes friun one commutator segment 52 to the successivee, successive coils 46 will be energized by the passeginent 52, brush 51, brush'slfand line 57. With described,-the working element and the measuring element turn with the same average speed and make the same total number of revolutions.

In Fig. 11 we have shown a modified construction in which the commutator 10 for the armature 7 is carried at the lower end of the shaft 15, flexible loads 10 being employed to connect the commutator segments to the armature coils. This modified construction is particularly adapted for use in connection with the construction. shown in Figs. 6 and 10 where, by increasing the number of connnutator segments 52, the maximum angular displacement between the shalt 6 and 15 may be reduced to a minimum, though this construction may also be employed in other forms of our invention. Whereas in the construction shown in Fig. l. the commutator being carried by the shaft 15 the frictional retardation produced by the engage- I went with it of the cooperating brushes ll will have no effect upon the movements of the measuring elep rise a block 63 of carbon or the like clamped against the under side of the disk 59 by the arm or bar 64 and the screw 65. Any suitable spring device 66 may be employed to normally hold the contact 61 out of engagement with the contact block 63. An arm 67 which is loosely pivoted upon the lower end of the shaft 15, being supported by collar 67 secured to the shalt; has projecting from its lower side two flexible arms 68. and from its upper side a lug or projection 69. The contact members 68 are adapted ,to be engaged by the arms of member 34 carried by the shaft 6. When this takes place the arm 67 will be rotated and the lug 69 will engage the arm 60 and force the contact 61 against the contact block (Silagainst the action of spring 66. The contacts 6]. and 62 form switch contacts for controlling the circuit of any suitable working motor just as the contacts 33 and 34 control the circuit of the motor 19 in the construction shown in.

Fig. 1. The object in employing the arm.67 instead of allowing one of the contact arms 34 toengage the lever 60 is to obtain a balanced thrust upon the shaft 6 when this engagement takes place. With this construction the lever 60 forms a power multiplying device by which the contacts 61 and 62 can be pressed together with a considerable force even though the torque of the measuring element is quite small.

In Figs. 15 and l6 we have shown still another arrangement for controlling the circuit of the Working motor. In this construction the shaft l5 carries a pair of disks 70 and 71. Each of these disks is constructed out of conducting material and is normally insulated from the other. These disks are connected in the circuit controlling the working motor in such a manner that when connected by a suitable short circuiting device the cir cuit through the working 'motor is closed. As clearly &

appears in Fig. 16, a portion of the disk 70 and a diametricallyoppiiscd portion 7lol' the disk 7i, theperiphcries oi which are concentric with the shaft l5, extend from the shalt farther than do the bodies ol' the disks.

The shaft (5 carries a collar 72 provided with arms '73 and 74 extending from it in opposite directions. The

. outer ends of these arms at up! urncd and carry brushes collar 72, all of which are made of a conducting material,

form a short circuiting device connecting the disks '70 and 71, thus closing the circuit through the motor. When the relative positions of the shalt (l and 15 are such that the brushes are not adjacent. the portions 70 and 71, they do not touch the disks and the circuit. through the motor is broken.

Assuming the direction of rotation of the shafts (i and 15 to oe that indicated by the arrow in Fig. lit, a. movement of the shaft (3 when the shaft 15 is stationary will cause the brushes to engage the portions 70 and 71. and travel along them a short distance before the Work ing motor energized gets up motion enough to move the portions 70 and 71 out of engagement with the brushes 75 and 76 respectively. Any slight retardation to the movement of the measuring element; which may occur when the brushes in engagement. with the disks move faster than the disks will be compensated for bythe slight acceleration to the movement of the measuring element, produced immediately thereafter, when the disks move taster than the brushes. Stops 77 and 78 are provided for limiting the maximum relative movement of one shal't with respect to the other.

While we have described somewhat in detail various forms in which our invention may be embodied it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that many changes can be made from these forms without departing from the spirit of our invention, which in many of its aspects we. believe to be much broader than any of the embodiments disclosed.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

l. in a measuring instrument. a measuring element ro tating'in one direction only, a fiber or wire suspension therefor, and means for automatically taking the twist out of said fiber.

2. in a measuring instrument. an element free to revolve under the influence 'of the force measured. a member from which it is supported by.a flexible connection, and means for causing said member to revolve with the same average speed with which said element. revolves.

Ii. in a measuring instrument. a revolving measuring element, a counting traim a motor for driving said count ing train, the axes of revolution of said motor and of said measuring instrument being in :ilinement with each other; a pair of contact devices carried by the motor and diametrically opposcd to each other with respect. to the axis thereof, and a pair of coiipcrating contact devices carried by the measuring element.

4. in a measuring instrument, a measuring element re volving in one direction only, a counting train, a motor for driving it, and a ilexihlc connection by which the element. is supported from the motor.

T1. In a measuring instrument, a rotatable support, a rotatable measuring element supported from said support by a flexible connection, and means for turning said support with the average speed with which the measuring element: turns. I

ii. in a measuring instrument, a rotatable support. a rotatable measuring element: supported therefrom by a con ncclion allowing relative movement between thrsupport and the element, and means for causing the support to lo late with the average speed with which the measuring element rotates.

7. in a measuring instrument. a rotatable support, a measuring clement supported therefrom by a connection allowing relative movement between the support and the element. and means responsive to a pre determined relative movement in one direction for causing a relative movement. in the opposite direction.

8. in combination, an electric motor provided with a vctli shaft. an electric meter comprising an :iiumturc, means for supporting said armature from said shaft to allow a relative movement of the armature with respect to the shaft. and means controlled by the meter for cncrgiz lug the motor upon a prcdelermined relative movement.

il. in a measuring instrument, a working clement rotat ing in one'direction only. a measuring clement rotating hi the some direction, and a llcxiblc connection by which the measuring clement is supported from the working element.

to. in a measuring instrument. a working element, and a measuring element. supported therefrom by a llexiblc connccti )n.

ii. in a measuring instrument, z. working element movable in one dircction only. a movable measuring element, means for supporting said measuring element. from the working clement arranged to allow a relative movement of one element with respect to the other, and means for limlting said relative movement.

12. in combination, a pair of vertical shafts, one of said shafts being supported from the other by a flexible conneclion. and independent means for' turning said shafts with the same average speed.

iii. in combination, a pair of vertical shafts, one of said element, a movable member or device by which it is sup ported, and means cnc Ltil from a source independent of the torque of the measuring element for moving the member at the speed with which the said element moves.

H. in a measuring instrument. a measuring element, a counting train, a motor for drivlpg it, a pair of switch contacts for controlling the motor circuit. and operating m nus therefor comprising a contact device tarried by the motor, a coiipcrating contact device carried by the measuring element. and a power multiplying connection between the switch contacts and the contact device carried by the motor.

15. in combination, a driving element, a measuring cle i-nent carried thereby, and means ope ll((l by the measur ing element for controlling the cnergi ion of the. driving element.

16. In combination, a rotating measuring element, a recording device, and a rotating motor for driving said re cording device, the speed of said motor being plolmiiiolull to and controlled by the speed of the measuring element.

17. In combination. a driving clement, a measuring element carried thereby, and a commutator for the measuring element carried by the driving element.

18. in combination. a working element, a measuring element carried thereby through a tiller or wire connection, means for rotating said measuring element, and means controlled by the measuring element for preventing :1 relative movement of the two elements in excess of a predeicrllllllt d amount.

in. in combination, a shaft, :1 motor for driving said shaft, a motor meter including an armature, a non-'gid connection for supporting said armature froln said shaft, and means operated by the rotation of said armature for controlling the speed of said motor to cause said shaft and said armature to rotate with the same average speed.

.10. in combination, a rotatable member, a motor meter including an armature. a connection for supporting said armature from said member. said connection being arranged to allow relative movement between said member and said armature. and means receiving encrgv from a source independent of the moveuumt of said armature hut eontrolleti therehy [or rotating said member with the same average speed with \vhirh the arnnlizure rotates.

21. in a measuring instrument, :1 motor, it measuring element having its shaft vertically disposed, n flexible eonneetion between the motor and said shaft for supporting the weight of the latter and the parts carried by itfund a 'ring bearingfor preventing lateral: displacement of said shaft.

22. In a measuring instrument, a motor, a measuring element having its shaft vertically disposed; :1 flexible conneetion between the motor and said shaft: [or supporting the weight of the latter and the parts earried by it, and means for preventing lateral displacement of suid hatt comprising a ring hearing encircling the lower end of said shaft. in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 14th dziy of March, 1904.

ALBERT G. DAVIS. CARYL 1). I IASKINS.

Witnesses BENJAMIN B. HULL, i-Ium'm Devon. 

